NEW HAMPSHIRE’S FASTEST GROWING ONLINE NEWSPAPER

Bacteria alert posted at Town Beach, but swimming still allowed

Comment Print
Related Articles
A sign at Town Beach warns of the dangers of cyanobacteria (The Lebanon Voice photo)

MILTON - A beach advisory is being issued for Milton Town Beach to alert people and pet owners to the possibility of harmful cyanobacteria toxins in the water that some studies have linked to health concerns, including in some cases under extreme and prolonged exposure, to life-threatening afflictions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

While many of the studies are inconclusive and more data is needed, health officials urge people to avoid the algal blooms, which appear as areas of water that are greenish speckled on the surface.

Milton Town Beach tested positive for cyanobacteria toxins on June 16, with a resample rescheduled for June 24. Results of that test should be available for the weekend, Milton Rec Director Karen Brown said today.

Brown said health officials say there is little risk and that avoiding the bloom minimizes health concerns.

She said there were 100s in the water yesterday at Town Beach and an attendant today said beachgoers were swimming as ususal.

Brown said that with all the wind out there today, the risk could have passed, and that a bloom can be present for 10 minutes and then gone.

"We're just telling people be aware," Brown said today. "If you seen something green in the water, avoid it."

Brown said information about cyanobacteria has been posted on the town website and at the beach.

"Our ratings at the beach are approved 85 percent of the time, unfortunately they weren't this time when they (NH Dept. of Environmental Services) tested," Brown said.

Part of the warning on the sign reads, "High levels of potentially toxic cyanobacteia have been identified in this water. WATER CURRENTLY NOT SUITABLE FOR WADING OR SWIMMING!"

It's been two years since DES has found that the waters around the beach were unhealthy. Two summers ago on several occasions swimming at the beach was prohibited due to fecal bacteria, thought to have been the result of geese droppings.

One study a few years ago showed that people living within a half-mile of cyanobacterially contaminated lakes had a 2.3-times greater risk of developing ALS than the rest of the population and that people around New Hampshire's Lake Mascoma had an up to 25 times greater risk.

A phone call to the state DES this morning had not been returned as of this posting.

Read more from:
Top Stories
Tags:
None
Share:
Comment Print
Powered by Bondware
News Publishing Software

The browser you are using is outdated!

You may not be getting all you can out of your browsing experience
and may be open to security risks!

Consider upgrading to the latest version of your browser or choose on below: